China Executes Former Chongqing Official

China on Wednesday executed the former top justice official in Chongqing, bringing to an end a year-long crackdown on organised crime in the central Chinese city that has riveted the rest of the country.

Wen Qiang, who was director of the Chongqing judicial bureau and former deputy head of police, was executed after being found guilty of taking bribes, shielding organised crime gangs, hiding financial assets and raping a university student, an announcement on the Chongqing court website said.

His arrest was the most high-profile in a wide-ranging investigation that exposed numerous ties between officials in the local government and police with crime figures in the city.

The widespread public acclaim that the anti-corruption campaign won across China has also served to boost the reputation of Bo Xilai, the Chongqing party secretary, who has been angling for a position among the next generation of senior leaders which will take power in 2012-2013.